Author: Edward J Appel
ISBN No: 9781 439 827 5
Review date: 20/04/2024
No of pages: 302
Publisher: CRC Press
Year of publication: 11/09/2012
Brief:
The internet holds potential for investigators, says an American book about searching the web to aid vetting and other investigations. From the May 2011 print issue of Professional Security magazine.
Product pirates, spammers, predators, fraudsters: all have found a home on the web, notes Edward Appel. Just because something is on the internet does not make it a ‘true fact’. So: how to make valid judgements – of a job applicant, or employee or customer – based on internet data? As Appel points out, it depends on the threat: “A bank would not want to hire someone who bought and sold stolen credit card information online.” A pharma firm would have to think hard about hiring a known animal rights protester – but could either happily give a job to someone who shared digital films and music, illegally? or posed for an online photo in his underpants? Appel concludes: “Fair and ethical vetting will produce much better background investigations, and people have already learned that what one puts online can get a person into trouble.” Appel makes the case for online searches as a double-check: “The internet and people’s uses of it are evolving much faster than organisations’ measures to address emerging security problems.” Appel stresses the need to be accurate, timely, and including the ‘dark web’ not indexed by search engines – and to investigate with integrity. This thorough and responsible book is recommended.
Internet Searches for Vetting, Investigations, and Open-Source Intelligence, by Edward J Appel, Published 2011 by CRC Press. ISBN: 9781 439 827 512, 302 pages. Visit www.crcpress.com.
Summary
In the information age, it is critical that we understand the implications and exposure of the activities and data documented on the Internet. Improved efficiencies and the added capabilities of instant communication, high-speed connectivity to browsers, search engines, websites, databases, indexing, searching and analytical applications have made information technology (IT) and the Internet a vital issued for public and private enterprises. The downside is that this increased level of complexity and vulnerability presents a daunting challenge for enterprise and personal security.
Internet Searches for Vetting, Investigations, and Open-Source Intelligence provides an understanding of the implications of the activities and data documented by individuals on the Internet. It delineates a much-needed framework for the responsible collection and use of the Internet for intelligence, investigation, vetting, and open-source information. This book makes a compelling case for action as well as reviews relevant laws, regulations, and rulings as they pertain to Internet crimes, misbehaviours, and individuals’ privacy. Exploring technologies such as social media and aggregate information services, the author outlines the techniques and skills that can be used to leverage the capabilities of networked systems on the Internet and find critically important data to complete an up-to-date picture of people, employees, entities, and their activities.
Outlining appropriate adoption of legal, policy, and procedural principles—and emphasising the careful and appropriate use of Internet searching within the law—the book includes coverage of cases, privacy issues, and solutions for common problems encountered in Internet searching practice and information usage, from internal and external threats. The book is a resource on how to use open-source, online sources to gather important information and screen and vet employees, prospective employees, corporate partners, and vendors.
